Monday, March 13, 2006

Mermaid Gloves

I've been working on so many projects all at once that I needed a little helper with my Mermaid gloves, aka Pomatomus sock turned fingerless mitts:"I'm tired, you try kntting with no thumb. Now where's that tuna she promised me?"

I love, love, love this pattern, it's so beautiful. The first glove took me about two weeks because of a broken dpn that needed replacing and because I figured out a neater way of doing the increases after I completed the thumb gusset, which then got ripped.I was afraid there would be a snafu waiting, some place where the pattern just wouldn't work for a mitt. But it didn't happen, it worked perfectly! Yeah! I inserted the thumb gusset between a horizontal pattern repeat and made it one vertical pattern repeat high.After I completed the gusset, I knit one more pattern repeat, followed by a row of k1p1 ribbing before starting the fingers, which allowed the pattern to sort of flow into the fingers.Can you tell I'm really excited about these? My first FO for myself this year.Specs:Yarn: Koigu in a light silvery blue shade, I always lose the ball bands at my LYS when I wind the hanks.Needles: 2.25mm Crystal Palace Bamboo dpn's for arm and palm; 2.25 Brittany small dpn's for thumb and fingersPattern: I figured out the gloves on my own after checking out glove patterns all over the internet. The stitch pattern is from Knitty's Pomatomus socks.I cast on the same number of stitches which, combined with a smaller needle, makes for a snugly fitting glove. Despite the thin yarn, small needles and lacy pattern, these gloves are very warm and squishy, due to the ribbing I think.My Kathy cardi is just missing its sleeves. Since there are no cables on the sleeves I'm hoping to complete them this week so I can have a seaming party next weekend and hopefully pictures.My skirt...ahem. I got another pattern, more swingy and made another muslin. It ended up being so long and full that I just need a matching top to have appropriate attire should I consider becoming a nun. Good thing there is another weekend before the deadline.

99 comments:

These are absolutely gorgeaous. The yarn colour is perfect for the pattern. They remind me of sky and clouds reflecting on the surface of still water on a sunny summer day. And nothing that brings up toughts about summer and nature can be anything else but beautiful.

YES! they look so awesome, WAY more interesting than the socks even! ha, i am definitely going to consider making these as a gift for someone. great idea. did you use one or two hanks of koigu? and what size needles? (if you dont mind me asking.... )

Beautiful! What did you do to reverse the pattern so the two are mirror images of each other? I wanted to do that with the socks, but read on someone's blog that the ktbl's had to twist the other way in order to get the same effect. Inquiring minds want to know.

What an ingenious way of transforming an already smart pattern into something far more elegant. Wow, your fingerless gloves are gorgeous. But, will you ever need to wear them? I mean for keeping your hands warm, not pretty.. ;-)

Could you please just post or email me offlist with some details about the thumb gusset (when to start increases, how many, etc)? I think I can figure out the earlier parts but that has me totally stumped despite your lovely closeup photos!

Magnificient job, and beautifully done! Why not sell the pattern, after all your hard work? They look like tattoos of the Japanese ocean design, and the color you used, along with the yarn and needle sizes, shows the pattern off so much better than the socks, as I checked out that link first. No comparison! Sure, we are all greedy for the pattern, but we also all buy patterns from everybody else. The difference between your gloves and everything else on the market is so great, I think you merit compensation for your talent.

I just finished making these beautiful gloves, using Ann Budd's glove pattern from The Handy Book of Knitting Patterns and Steph's notes. You can see them at www.flickr.com/photos/poorlysortedor all of my knitting athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/poorlysorted/sets/72157594455923449/

Thank you for the inspiration! I had the best time figuring this pattern out, and I don't know if mine are as good as yours but I am so pleased with them.

Wow, these are gorgeous, I don't suppose you make any for sale or know where I can buy some? I am really bad at knitting. :( If you would be interested in selling some or could help me please email me at kidlin@hotmail.com ... will pay well!!!

those are beautiful, i just finished my Pomatomusii, and now I want to do these as well, along with 1000 other things, but these are right at the op of the list. now if only I had some super soft alpaca ....

Your Mermaid Gloves design is stunning and absolutely irresistable! I've made them for myself, and my sister has even asked me to make them for her too. (That just doesn't happen!)

The thumb gusset truly mystified me and not being a glove knitter I did something a little unusual with it. Since the creative inspiration is all yours I'd be flattered to have the opportunity to show you what I did. I hope you don't mind that I posted instructions on my blog, FurrPurls.

Thanks for your interest in the mermaid gloves, I don't have a pattern written up, but by now there is a spin-off of these on Knitty, and some folks at ravelry have posted approximate patterns as well.

Hey I was just wandering, how many charts of A do you do before you do chart B?? if you could tell me and give me brief explanation of the processes of making this glove it will be much appreciated. Thanks!

these mitts are beautiful! I've looked at the examples that other people have posted on ravelry, and yours are the only ones which manage to have the waves swirling in opposite directions. how did you manage that?

I reeaally want to make these.They are so pretty! On ravelry it says the pattern is available for free and then it links over to here, but I can't see where to click. Please help me! I'm jonesing. Badly! dorotheaconde@hotmail.com

I love your Mermaid gloves ~ my daughter fell in love with them and I would love to get the pattern for her. I have been knitting for about 30yrs and have never found anything quite so unique and feminine. Is there any way that you would share your pattern ~ I would so much appreciate it.

I just LOVE the pattern on the gloves. I am getting ready to move to Colorado and they would be Perfect! Is there any way you would be willing to share the pattern? Please e-mail me at Tiffany.riggins@ymail.com

I tried to download your beautiful pattern. How do I get the instructions for your beautiful gloves....I wanted to make them for my daughter for Christmas but I am sooooo tempted to make them for myself first! my e mail ...my contact is lrsino on Raverly.....thank you.....